1. Field of the Invention
This invention deals with optical crossbar switches, more specifically with structures similar to deformable mirror devices used as crossbar switches.
2. Background of the Invention
The demand for high-speed parallel computing has given rise to a need for high-speed reconfigurable switching networks to control the flow of information. Optical transmission provides the high speeds necessary to fully use the capabilities of a parallel processor. Reconfigurable switching networks can be achieved with programmable crossbar switching.
Crossbar switches allow any one of N inputs to be connected to any one of M outputs. This can be accomplished in many different ways, one of which is to use spatial light modulators, such as deformable mirror devices, to reflect the light from one path to another. The light enters one port and would, if unmodulated, travel out another port. If the deformable mirror device is deflected, the light is either reflected back along its input port or switched to yet another port as output.
The number of such switches that are connected together determines how many possible combinations of input to output connections can be made. This entails each switch with its necessary beam splitters and combiners, and with its spatial light modulator. The resultant network is somewhat unwieldy. Additionally, to fabricate such a network in a production setting is difficult and expensive.